


street smarts

by j_whirl44



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Grizzop being the wingman, Multi, That's it that's the plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:08:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27140206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/j_whirl44/pseuds/j_whirl44
Summary: Grizzop notices his two friends are distracted and he wants to know why.
Relationships: Azu/Sasha Racket, Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom/Zolf Smith, Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam & Azu, Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam & Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom, Grizzop drik Acht Amsterdam & Sasha Racket
Comments: 30
Kudos: 31





	1. matchmaker

He’s looking down at his phone as he enters the shop. He mumbles his hello as he gulps down more of his coffee.

He can tell Azu and Cel are there, but neither acknowledge him. He pauses and looks up. He slowly looks back and forth between the two. Azu’s seemingly cleaning the same spot on the counter over and over, while Cel’s doodling away in their sketchbook.

He slowly makes the rest of his way to his station, he sets down his bag and his drink. He looks between his two friends again and pulls a face of confusion. “Alright then what’s got both of your heads in the clouds,” he asks aloud.

They both jump as they snap their heads up to look at him. Cel blinks in confusion while Azu hangs her mouth open, “Oh, uh, nothing. It’s nothing. I don’t-I’m not sure what you mean,” Azu stumbles over her words.

Cel snorts from their station, “Azu’s got a crush,” they say in a sing-song tone.

Grizzop’s eyes widen, he smirks a little as he stares her down, “On who?”

She opens her mouth and lets out a gasp, “Oh I don’t have-”

“On Zolf’s new assistant, the one across the way,” Cel butts in.

Grizzop chokes on his coffee and turns to Cel, “What? Sasha?”  
  
“You know her?” Azu asks.

Grizzop looks ahead of him, trying to process this, “Yeah we’ve...we’ve known each other awhile. I helped her settle in here what...I didn’t think  _ you two _ knew each other,” he states.

“I-I we _don’t_ and I don’t have a crush on her. I've barely talked to her,” Azu says. She’s avoiding both Grizzop and Cel’s face. The two share a look. Grizzop giggles.

Azu gives him a glare and then focuses on Cel and points, “Well they like Zolf!” she says.

Cel’s eyes go wide and they drop their mouth open. “ _ Azu, _ ” they screech out.

That almost takes Grizzop out, “What? You like  _ Zolf _ ?” he says.

Cel turns to him, “I don’t-wait what is that supposed to me?” they say. Azu chuckles at the two of them.

“Oh Cel he’s so...grumpy all the time. How can you be with someone who doesn’t like to talk more than a few words at a time?” Grizzop says.

Cel’s eyes go even wider and they scoff, “That’s not true. He’s-he’s very nice. I don’t, I’m not saying I like him  _ romantically _ but-but I do like him,” they mumble off that last bit.

Grizzop looks at both of them again. He sits in his chair and sighs.

“You two are terrible liars,” he says.

Azu and Cel try and dispute that, but they both just let out a sigh and shrug their shoulders. The three of them laugh.

\----

It’s later in the day after he’s finished all his appointments when he’s cleaning up his station for the night. The door rings and he looks up to see Sasha entering the shop. She gives a small wave.

“Sasha? What are you doing here I thought we’d just meet at the restaurant,” he says. He looks to see that she’s not even staring at him, but she  _ is _ staring at Azu, who’s sitting at the counter and seems to be pointedly not glancing in Sasha’s direction.

He assesses the situation and taps his foot as he rolls his eyes, “Uh. Sasha,” he says again.

She shakes her head and looks at him, “Right. Right sorry, uh, Zo-Zolf let me off a bit early. So I headed over here to see if you wanted to...to walk over together,” she says.

Grizzop looks at Azu, who’s giving him a deadly look. One that tells him to not say anything more. He stares back, and a toothy grin appears on his face. Azu’s look turns from harsh to worried quickly. She stands up straight and her eyes are pleading with him now.

“No. Sasha that’s fine! I’m just finishing up here I can be with you in a moment,” he says in a chipper voice.

He starts to pack away his things slower. He can feel the heat coming off of Azu. He chuckles.

He hears Sasha clear her throat, “uh. Hi-hi Azu,” she says. It’s barely above a tentative whisper, but the shop’s quiet so it travels. Grizzop pauses his clean up and waits briefly for Azu’s response.

“Oh, uh, he-hello Sasha,” she says, “Is your tattoo healing alright?”

Sasha rubs her forearm, “Oh! Yeah-yeah it’s good...going good,” she answers.  
  
Grizzop tenses his shoulders a moment and winces. He shakes his head as he gets back to work. He hopes either of them say anything else but they don’t.

He picks up his bag and heads towards Sasha. They’re about to head out the door but he stops and turns to Azu, “Would you like to join us, Azu?” he asks.

Azu shakes her head and he sees Sasha tense beside him, “Oh no no that’s alright I couldn’t impose on you like this I-I am fine here but thank you for your offer,” she stammers out.

Sasha relaxes beside him and he just sighs and shrugs, “I try and help,” he mutters under his breath.

“What?” Sasha asks.

“Oh nothing. Well see you later Azu. Let’s go Sasha!” he says as he all but runs out the door.

Sasha takes a moment to catch up with him and they don’t speak as the two walk to the local diner they get dinner at almost every week. It’s a routine that started quickly after they became friends and it’s used by both of them to kind of unwind and talk about whatever is bothering them. He enjoys it, he genuinely cares about and likes Sasha.

Tonight though, she’s been quiet. Not saying much. He becomes a little on edge, his foot once again bounces up and down off the ground, nearly hitting the table each time.

“You alright, Zop?” she asks.

“I should ask if you are alright,” he mutters, “You’ve been especially quiet tonight.”  
  
Sasha focuses further on her menu and he sees her pale cheeks go flush, “I’m fine, uh, yeah I just. There’s-there’s not much going on for me right now, uh, it’s all...all good,” she says. Her tone betrays her words as he can hear the nervousness in them. He sighs and shakes his head.

“Sasha…”   
  
“Grizzop I’m fine. Honest. Just have some things on my mind,” she says.

“Like?” he presses.

She winces and burrows down even further in her seat. Her cheeks only get redder. It’s now that he realizes what’s bothering her isn’t anything bad, so he relaxes a little. The worried expression on his face is replaced by a smug grin that makes Sasha groan.

“This is why I didn’t want to bring it up…” she mumbles.

Grizzop smiles even wider and leans forward, “How long have you liked Azu then,” he says loudly.

Sasha shrieks and sushes him, “Keep your voice down,” she says, looking around. The diner’s loud and busy and there’s no way there’s anyone here that actually cares about this conversation but nonetheless he nods his head.

“Are you gonna answer then,” he says.

She rolls her eyes and squirms a little as she sits back up in the booth, “I don’t...I don’t know I noticed her a few weeks ago I guess. She...she comes up in my view a lot from the shop and I don’t know she always looks so...so pretty,” her voice fades a little at the last bit and Grizzop’s teasing nature softens as he watches her explain. “Then I’d see her interact with Zolf sometimes and they seem close and I was- I am just curious about her. So I took over flowers from Zolf last week and I just...asked for a tattoo,” she groans, “just so I could bloody talk to her for longer than a few minutes,” she finishes. She sighs and puts her face in her arms on the table.

He laughs and reaches out a hand and gently pats her on the shoulder, he holds in a laugh.

He’ll admit he’s not the one to really go to about this. As he sits now he’s not entirely sure what to even say to Sasha about this, but he does care for them both, and he’ll be around to support both of them, even if he doesn’t really understand the intercises of getting together.

“You know I could...talk to her for you-”

“No!” Sasha shoots up, “No no you don’t have to do that, uh, please don’t do that I-oh don’t give that look, Zop,” she says with a laugh.

The look in question is one of slight offence at the quick refusal of his offer. He huffs and crosses his arms.

Sasha smiles, which admittedly makes his mood less sour, “Look I appreciate the offer but I don’t... _ I  _ don’t even know what to do about this yet it’s been a long time since I’ve felt anything like this for anyone I just...need time, I think. To-to process,” she admits. Her voice is small and Grizzop sighs. He’s never been one to sit and think about things, but he does understand Sasha in this.

“Hey okay look I won’t...I won’t mention anything alright, just don’t think too hard about it yeah? I think you two would really work together, actually,” he says.

Sasha relaxes and smiles at that, some of the blush that was mostly gone creeps back up, “Thanks, I guess,” she mutters.

Things go back to normal after that, like the conversation never happened and they enjoy their weekly meal. He walks her back to the shop, where she lives with Zolf right above and he gives her one last encouraging thumbs up and a wink. She rolls her eyes but thanks him.

\----

That was three weeks ago and each day, each hour even, Grizzop regrets ever promising he won’t do anything. Sasha’s come into the shop more and more, he’s noticed, and everytime without fail she and Azu flub some sort of small conversation with each other and all he can do is watch in horror and groan while sharing a look with Cel who usually just laughs at him and shrugs.

“I mean, honestly,” he says one night while out with Cel, “the two of them just need to get  _ whatever _ this is over with. It’s painful,” he says.

Cel laughs at him and shakes their head as they take a sip of their drink, “Those two do certainly have it bad, but you know what Azu’s like and you know what Sasha’s like too. This clumsy courting ritual was destined to happen,” they say.

“Please don’t say it like that,” he mumbles.

Cel laughs, “Well that is what it is. We can’t do much but sit by.”

He lets out a low groan and starts bouncy in his chair from frustration, “Really, Zop,” Cel mutters. He shrugs.

It’s another two weeks of nothing happening between them that he can’t take it anymore. “Azu,” he says in a sharp tone that makes her look up from him. She’s in the middle of tattooing and he hesitates and thinks maybe this isn’t the best time to bring it up but he pushes that aside quickly, “It’s time you ask out Sasha,”

Her eyes go wide and she stops her gun. She turns to him, “I what?” she closes her eyes and shakes her head as she gives him one last look before returning to tattooing.

“Look. She likes you. You like her. It’s not that hard to figure out,” he says.

Azu sighs, “Grizzop it’s complicated-”

“Is it really or are you just making it that way,” he says with a little bite that he regrets but doesn’t take back.

She stops tattooing and snaps up at him, “I’m in the middle of something, as you can see. We’ll talk about this later,” she says. He hears the hurt in her voice and he slumps. He’s really put his foot in his mouth now. He sighs and nods as he waits for her to finish.

He leaves to get her favorite drink and pastry from the bakery down the road. He walks into the shop to see she’s done and cleaning up her station. He hands her the treats as a peace offering.

Her face softens but it’s still a little cold as she takes them. She sips on her drink and gives a small nod.

He sighs, “Look, Azu, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lash out like that,” he begins. She sets down the food and hesitates a moment before she continues cleaning up, “I just care about both of you a lot, alright? And I-I know that’s not an excuse but I just want to know why it’s taking you two so long,” he says.

Azu laughs and motions for him to sit next to her. He does. He waits for her response.

“I guess I’m just scared,” she says. Her voice is soft and low and his stomach clenches. In all the time he’s known Azu he’s never seen her as vulnerable as she is right now.

He sighs and bites his lip. He reaches out and puts his hand on Azu’s wrist. She smiles down at it.

“Look Azu I don’t know how this really works. Never really wanted to, but I know the both of you and the two of you deserve to be with people who make you happy, and, if you ever spoke more than three sentences to each other,” he teases, Azu smiles, “I think you two would make each other happy,” he says.

Her smile grows at that. She takes her other hand and places it over his and gives it a squeeze, “Thank you, I’ll...you’re right. Thank you,” she says.

Grizzop nods and pulls away. He stands up and stretches out, he turns to her, “No I wasn’t supposed to get involved with this so don’t tell her I said anything,” he says, only half serious.

Azu laughs and nods, “scout’s honor.”

He smiles and turns to leave, feeling better about the whole situation.

It’s another week when Sasha comes into the shop. She’s dressed a little more fancy than usual, which is just to say that she usually wears t-shirts under her leather jacket, but tonight she has on a collared button down. She smiles at him.

“Oh Sasha we didn’t have plans tonight…” he trails off when he sees Azu come from the back. She’s a little more put together in a long casual dress, her coat hangs over her arm. The two look at him, “...oh,” he says. He looks between the two of them again, “ _ oh.  _ You two are...well that’s, uh, good! Great! I-you have fun,” he says.

They both laugh nervously and look to their feet. He walks up to them and all but pushes them out the door.

He waits a bit and watches them walk down the street with a smile. He knows he shouldn’t feel so smug, but he is. He smirks as he looks across the way.

His face falls and turns into something completely new when he looks to see Cel and Zolf in the window of his shop. They seem to be laughing and toasting two beers. Even from here he can see the blush on Cel’s cheeks as they watch him move through the shop. He looks away and sighs.

“Great. Those two next,” he grumbles. He heads back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a continuation of sorts from my Tattoo Shop AU i wrote for Azu Week where you can read [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932210) :D it's not necessary but it is appreciated :)
> 
> also, the wonderful Jasp did art from it!! which you can also find [here](https://twitter.com/moofbat/status/1315664455636791296/photo/1)
> 
> hope you enjoyed; thanks for reading :3 see you later for our poor zop's continued matchmaking quest.


	2. enforcer

It’s not like Grizzop  _ hates  _ Zolf, it’s just that he doesn’t really like him all that much. He hasn’t done anything too bad, and for whatever reason Sasha likes him and they get on together so he can’t hold that over the man’s head. Maybe Grizzop just wishes he would lighten up every once in a while.

“He does,” Sasha argues one day. Grizzop gives an unimpressed look as he bites into his food. “Oh come on, Zop, you barely know him! He can...be fun...when he wants to be,” she argues further.

“I have never seen that man smile once,” he rebuttals.

Sasha rolls her eyes and laughs, “You’ve never been around him for longer than ten minutes.”

“Yeah well…” he answers. The conversation ends there and it’s not really brought up again.

That was a few months ago and Grizzop’s reminded of it as he sits in the shop and watches Zolf and Cel talk. Cel’s expression is bright and Zolf  _ is  _ actually smiling as he listens to them go off on whatever new design they’re working off.

It catches him off guard and he turns to look at Azu who’s sitting at her station with Sasha. The two women share a sly look as Azu looks back to him and gives a shrug of  _ ‘I told you so.’ _

Eventually Sasha and Zolf leave to actually work at their own business and as soon as they’re out the door Grizzop turns to Cel and taps his foot.

They pause and slowly lift their head up to look at him, “yes,” they say.

Azu hides her mouth to stifle a laugh as Grizzop looks pointedly at Cel, “What’s the deal with  _ you two _ then,” he says.

Cel gawks and shakes their head, “I-I don’t know what you mean,” they laugh nervously, “He just I’m-I’m working on something for him and he wanted an update. That’s all,” they say.

Grizzop lifts an eyebrow and he gives a toothy grin.

Cel groans, “How many times do I have to say it’s not like that…”

Now Azu busts in with a knowing look of her own and Cel dramatically sighs and falls over the back of their chair, “i hate both of you just- everything’s fine,” they say. They close their sketchbook and begin to play lazily with their hands

The two look at each other with a look of agreement to not push it. Azu returns to her work while he lingers a look onto Cel and feels a small sink in his chest.

The next time he’s in the shop he sees Zolf sitting in the chair at Cel’s station as they prep next to him. He gives Grizzop a nod which he returns. He sets down his things and walks over.

“So. Whatcha getting done?” he asks.

Zolf’s silent as he looks down at his hands and even Cel slows their pace some as they put their gun together. He feels the weird shift in the air as he takes a step back.

“A pickaxe,” is all that he says.

Grizzop, being who he is, takes a peek at the design stencil that Cel has on their table and sure enough there’s a long, skinny pickaxe drawn out. The wooden handle is vibrant with swirly lines across it. It’s simple. At the base are two rocks, one slightly bigger than the other. The larger one has a single daisy at the bottom. He looks Zolf over, none of his other tattoos really match the style of this one, and he knows he usually goes to Azu for his pieces, but he knows better than to bring that up right now.

He just gives a nod and goes back to his station. The shop is quiet now as Cel finishes getting ready.

Finally, they begin and he hears the familiar buzz of the gun go off.

He gets a client halfway through and that occupies his time. It’s a few hours later and Zolf is long gone when he comes up to them again. They give him a look that tells him to tread lightly, but when has he ever been one to follow that rule.

“What was that then?” he asks.

Cel sighs, “Grizzop…”

“You’re miserable, Cel,” he states.

They look down, “I’m not,” they state. He gives them a look. They roll their eyes, “I am perfectly fine just being his friend.”

He bites his tongue. He knows that’s not true. He’s known Cel for years now and knows how they operate. They and Azu are probably the biggest romantics he knows, and why he’s apparently the one to set them up with who they actually want to be with he doesn’t know, but he’ll do it if it makes them happy.

“That tattoo meant something to him, didn’t it,” he says.

Cel hesitates and that’s all the answer he needs, “It’s not my place to say,” they answer.

He sighs and gives them another look and they answer with one that says to please drop it. He nods and steps back. He finishes cleaning up his station and leaves for the night. He doesn’t have to come back to the shop for another week, but that next morning he comes to town anyway, and makes a detour.

He enters the flower shop and he’s thankfully alone. Sasha sees him enter from the counter and gives him a confused look. He responds with a devilish grin, “Where’s bossman,” he says.

“In the back…” she replies, “what do you need to see him for,” she presses on. Grizzop just shakes his head and gives her a wink as if to say not to worry about it. Sasha can’t respond further before Zolf appears, fresh cut flowers in hand. He sees Grizzop and pauses.

“Zolf! Lovely to see you,” he says.

Sasha clears her throat and starts to move away from the both of them, “right I-I’m gonna go...elsewhere, I think,” she says. She makes her way to the backroom Zolf just came from with one last glance between the two of them.

Zolf still looks at him puzzled as he begins to move around the room. Grizzop just stands and watches him for a moment. He feels his skin start to buzz from standing in one place for too long so he finally clears his throat and speaks up, “So that tattoo of that pickaxe wasn’t just a stylistic choice was it,” he speaks.

Zolf stops his work and tenses a bit, “Cel tell you?” he asks, his voice is neutral with a hint of something else that Grizzop can’t quite place.

“No! No they...well honestly they didn’t have to. You’re not that hard of a person to read,” he says, “for me anyway,” he mumbles under his breath.

Zolf turns to face him at that and he gives Grizzop a look of annoyance mixed with amusement. He lets out a sigh as he continues his work, “My brother. He died a few years back. Thought I’d finally get something done for him,” he explains.

Grizzop feels his stomach clench a little at that. He knows the toll of losing people you care about, about losing family. It’s never easy and the years only make it harder. For once, he feels sympathy for the man as he thinks of what to say next.

It’s not the most tactful question, but he asks anyways, “Why have Cel do it. Azu’s usually the one you go to, yeah?” he says so matter-of-factly Zolf rolls his eyes.

It’s silent as he watches Zolf like a hawk. The man twiddles with his thumbs and looks around the room. There’s a big blush creeping onto his cheeks and it takes everything in Grizzop to not groan out loud.

“Can probably figure that one out if you’re so smart,” Zolf says.

Grizzop does groan at that, “You two are so...why is everyone I know an idiot.”

Zolf actually laughs at that and shrugs, “This stuffs complicated,”

Grizzop feels a vein in his head pop, “Azu said the same thing and it’s really not. Look, you like them yeah?” he says.

Zolf looks up at him and gives a wordless nod after a minute.

“Great. Ask them out,” he replies.

“But they don’t-” Zolf begins but he stops when Grizzop marches up to the front of him and pulls him down by the collar.

“Don’t be an idiot,” he says.

Zolf blinks in surprise and looks at him with wide eyes and all he can do is nod.

He lets go and steps back. He looks around the shop and, though he’ll never admit this out loud, he has to say it’s a nice, well organized, well run shop. It smells nice and has a lot of light. He can tell just by this that Zolf is a nice guy that cares. The man’s still avoiding looking at Grizzop, who now takes a moment to look him up and down.

He turns to face him again and he clears his throat to get Zolf’s attention. He looks at him. “If you hurt them, just know that I could kill you,” he says.

Zolf’s already red face grows even redder as he brings a hand to rub the back of his neck. He nods in agreement. Grizzop responds with a toothy grin and skips out towards the door. As he exits he pauses halfway out the door and looks over his shoulder. He gives a sigh, tone turning soft yet still serious, “I’m, uh, sorry about your brother,” he says as he leaves.

\--

_ That  _ was three weeks ago now and from what he’s seen nothing’s changed. He’s about to go talk to that old bloke again when he hears Azu and Sasha snickering at the register.

“What,” he says.

The two women focus up quickly and don’t answer him, but they hide the smiles on their faces terribly. He’s about to ask again when Cel walks in.

They look just as giddy and now he’s just completely confused. He examines their face as they walk towards their station. He looks them over and he freezes as he spots something. He jumps up which in turn makes Cel jump as well, “Is that a hickey,” he says.

Cel’s hand shoots up to hide the obvious mark as they shake their head, “What? No-no-no it’s nothing. Nothing like that. I don’t know what you mean,” they reply.

Sasha snickers in the corner and Azu playfully slaps her arm to quiet her down.

Grizzop thinks for a moment and then his eyes widen and head snaps to Cel, “Did Zolf do that,” he asks.

Cel squeaks in response and the tips of their ears go red instantly. Now Azu and Sasha are full on laughing as Grizzop opens his mouth wide.

“So he finally did it, then, you two are-”

“We are...in the process. It’s-”

“If you say complicated,” he interrupts with a grumble.

Cel closes their mouth and gives a laugh, “I...we are, then, and I guess, thank you,” they say softly. They give him a pointed look, “Though you didn’t have to be so aggressive about it. The man’s terrified of you now,” they scold.   
  
Grizzop smirks, “Good,” he replies.

Cel rolls their eyes and looks down at their hands, “Seriously though, I-thank you,” they say.

He smiles and gives them a soft smile. They all get back to work.

It’s a few months later and the five of them are gathered in the shop. It’s almost the holidays and so they’re sitting by a fake tree, exchanging presents and drinking, totally not spiked, hot chocolate.

Grizzop looks around the room at his friends, all huddled close into each other and he smiles. They’re all happy and that in turn makes him happy. He’s even learned to play nice with Zolf over this time, if only for Cel’s benefit.

He looks out the window and up at the moon and he thinks it shines just a bit brighter tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :DDDDDDDDDDDDD
> 
> this was just some tooth rotting fluff we need right now I think and god I just love picturing how much Zop and Zolf would butt heads if they ever met and took that and ran with it lmao.
> 
> Happy ZolfCel times bc that is just what I need now.
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed :D


End file.
